AMI holds Uganda Digital Migration Workshop

The migration from analogue to digital terrestrial television broadcasting whose global deadline was set for 17th June 2015 is yet to fully take place in Africa. Nine months past this deadline, Mauritius, Tanzania and Kenya are the only African countries that have completely switched off analogue television service to date. As the global deadline has long passed, a number of countries are still facing significant challenges. In support of efforts by media outlets to switch to digital broadcasting, The African Media Initiative (AMI) organized a workshop in Uganda targeting media owners and operators, policy makers, regulatory body officials and other stakeholders.

The two-day training workshop was held at the Office of the Prime Minister Conference Hall in Kampala, Uganda, on 16-17 March 2016. The workshop focused on key factors that should be considered in developing and implementing a country’s Digital Television Transition Plan, including pre- and post-transition technical issues, policy considerations, spectrum management decisions and consumer awareness. Participants interacted with and learnt from experts drawn from countries that have already completed the transition and can speak to the lessons learned from those experiences. Delegates at the workshop called on governments to waive taxes on free to air decoders and other equipment needed for the digital migration.

The workshop was sponsored by the Ford Foundation and the Open Society Initiative for Eastern Africa.